Boys and Their Toys

Marcal Eilenstein

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The biggest two-seat coupe . . . in the world.

Last week, Kamil shared with us a cool video of a crane lifting a crane. I was reminded of some pictures I sent in to the tips line last summer (you do know about tips@hooniverse.info, don’t you? Get to sharing!). While they didn’t merit their own post at the time, I wanted to share them with you for a few reasons:

1)It’s a summer shot, and I’ve forgotten what sunlight looks like.

2)This thing has more rubber than a pencil factory.

3)What’s the only thing better than a heavy duty truck with a huge Mercedes engine? A heavy duty truck with TWO huge Mercedes engines.

Let’s get to it.

This is a Grove GMK7550, presumably because the truck is a 7-axle setup with 55o-ton capacity. With a maximum speed of 53 mph, it’s powered by a 563 hp V-8 turbocharged diesel Mercedes OM502 LA engine. Power is sent to the wheels via an Allison 7-speed automatic with 2-speed transfer.

The superstructure is powered by its own Mercedes OM906 LA 6-cylinder engine, making 255 hp.

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It seats . . . two. CD/Radio optional.

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This is a 14 × 6 × 14 – Axles 1, 4, and 5 do the driving and steering. Axles 2, 3, 6, and 7 are steer only, not counting the OPTIONAL 8TH AXLE or the trailing boom dolly. This thing must be a blast on city streets. When I took this picture back in August (just a block from my office), it was parked roadside about half a mile from the highway.

With a 79-gallon fuel tank, there’s more than enough juice on board to get the job done.

I don’t know about you, but one of my boyhood fantasies was to drive dump trucks, bulldozers, and play with heavy construction equipment. If I’m honest, I still have those fantasies, and I would love nothing more than to slide behind the wheel of this behemoth for a few hours. Maybe I’d just drive it around, or maybe I’d hop in the back and play with the crane. Pick up a car or two and set them on a building.

How about you? Would you take this beast for a spin?

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Marcal Eilenstein

Marcal Eilenstein

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12 responses to “Boys and Their Toys”

  1. rennsport964 Avatar
    rennsport964

    This looks like these were taken in the Kent or Auburn Valley. Also, I don't remember what the sun looks like either.

    Reply
    1. MVEilenstein Avatar
      MVEilenstein

      Bellevue. Near the Safeway bakery.

      Reply
  2. 0ToTuttiFrutti Avatar
    0ToTuttiFrutti

    I'm with you, I had a profound lack of heavy machinery in my life, so I bought a forklift.
    It's not much compared to this monster, but to be able to turn a key and lift 1.5 tons is pretty satisfying.

    Reply
  3. B72 Avatar
    B72

    550 tons? That's over a million pounds. Or 579 1967 VW Beetles. Or 406 1998 VW Beetles.

    Reply
    1. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      Or 15 1975 Cadillac Eldorado's.

      Reply
  4. 1slowvw Avatar
    1slowvw

    Up until this year my family ran a road construction company that branched into portable rock crushing we actually had a grove 35 ton yard crane that I would use as an engine lift for my VW's….yeah overkill.
    I regret now not playing with the heavy equipment more, I'm in my mid twenties now and have only really spent any amount of time in a bulldozer, a few minutes in some larger pay-loaders, and a bit of time with our 15 ton boom truck.
    My father who would be considered the owner operator type and can run everything from a grader to an excavator and dozers with butter like smoothness. He told me some time ago that while attending a Caterpillar promotional even in Nevada (I think) that when offered the chance to try any piece of heavy equipment in their test area only he and one other "small" business owner there were actually able and willing to go play with the equipment. Sadly the other dozen people on the tour where "bean counters" and executive types who were either unwilling or felt that actually running the equipment that made their companies profitable was below them.
    I do regret passing up the opportunity to run a rock truck a few summers ago, something about those monster dump trucks really get me excited.

    Reply
  5. dead_elvis Avatar
    dead_elvis

    It sucks when you drop heavy stuff. Can't remember if this was a Ness truck or not. Georgetown, Seattle, July 2010.
    <img src="http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad142/nm75xs500/oops.jpg&quot; width="580">
    Photo credit/blame for effects to my buddy, Miles (not Buddy Miles).

    Reply
    1. MVEilenstein Avatar
      MVEilenstein

      Somebody lost his job that day.

      Reply
    2. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Yes it does…
      <img src="http://www.truckspills.com/engine_spill_1.jpg&quot; width="600">
      Source: <a href="http://www.truckspills.com/ship_engine_spill.html” target=”_blank”>http://www.truckspills.com/ship_engine_spill.html

      Reply
  6. Mike England Avatar
    Mike England

    LOL I grew up running a bulldozer from time to time – but truthfully I was never very good at it.
    My Dad was great. He could put peanut butter on your toast with a D6.
    I spent a few years as an engineer officer in the Army and never got my fill of stick time.
    I have a customer who owns a LOT of really big cranes, and some small ones – they spend a LOT of time training operators.
    Once when I was at the company headqurters they insisted I try out a small crane – it's really hard to move the hook without it swinging back and forth endlessly.
    One final comment: I watched an episode of the Red/green show yesterday evening – Red Green made a forklift with a pickup truck, winch, extension ladder and a pair of cross-country skis. It awas hysterical.

    Reply
  7. SSurfer321 Avatar
    SSurfer321

    Does not want to think about the permits required to drive this down the road. Or calculating a route with roads that would support the damn thing.
    I work for a general contractor and have yet to try my hand with any of our equipment, save for the 1968 forklift in the shop and a GMC Topkick. I really need to just jump in one and see what I can do.

    Reply
  8. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Here's another way to get the crane (or excavator) to the top of a building.[youtube HO-wTO7ice8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-wTO7ice8 youtube]

    Reply